Verifi LLC

W. R. Grace Co.-conn.

Other

Gcp Applied Technologies Inc.

Eric P Koehler

Mark F Roberts

Richard K Jordan

Roy J Cooley

Steve Verdino

Yan Glina

Nathan A Tregger

Lawrence R Roberts

Kati Hazrati

Robert Culley

Kevin N Baird

Ara A Jeknavorian

Byong-Wa Chun

James Klauke

Meriem Bahira

Byong-wa Chun

Leon Bablouzian

Reynold Ramnarine

Romain Faivre

Joseph Howard Sostaric

Robert Phelabaum

Robert E Cook

Oscar Bucknor

Arthur Kyriazis

Bruce Perry

Cesar Constantino

Gary Nininger

Meriem Bah Ira

Joseph Sostaric

An apparatus, system, and method for metering the total water added to a concrete load contained in a concrete truck mixing drum. The apparatus includes a coupling for connecting an external water supply, at least two check valves to enable water to be added from either the external water supply or a water tank onboard the truck, and a meter for recording water added to the concrete drum. Separate hoses may be provided for adding water to the drum and for supplying water for use outside the concrete drum.

Apparatus, systems, and methods for metering total water content in concrete

A system and process for detecting dynamic segregation in concrete rotated within a mixer drum, such as mounted on a delivery truck. A system processor is programmed to monitor an instantaneous and averaged rheology parameter and to deploy protocols for detecting segregation. A first protocol comprises monitoring the averaged slump during and immediately after a jump in drum speed of at least plus or minus four rotations per minute and detecting when a change in the averaged slump value meets or exceeds a threshold; and a second protocol comprises monitoring the instantaneous slump when the mixer drum is rotating at a constant speed for at least three successive rotations and detecting when the instantaneous slump value meets or exceeds a threshold limit. Once segregation is detected, one or more operations can be initiated, such as initiating an alarm or adjusting the mix.

Dynamic segregation monitoring of concrete

Disclosed are method and system for treating concrete in mixing drums of delivery vehicles having automated rheology (e.g., slump) monitoring systems programmed to dose fluids into concrete based on the monitored rheology. The present invention takes into account a Revolution-To-Discharge value ('RTD') which reflects drum rotations needed to move concrete towards and through the mixing drum opening from which concrete is discharged, and also takes into consideration a Volume-Per-Revolution-Upon-Discharge ('VPRUD') value which reflects the relation between the rate of discharge and rheology (e.g., slump) of concrete upon discharge. The invention is especially useful for reclaiming concrete in the drum after delivery and can confirm rheology based upon peak (maximum) discharge pressure. The present inventors found surprisingly that discharge pressure readings are useful for recalibrating automated rheology monitoring systems as well as for reporting and/or treating the remainder concrete.

Monitoring discharge pressure on concrete mix load

A gyroscopic rotational monitoring system may be utilized for monitoring one or more properties of rotatable container or vessel, and/or one or more properties of a displaceable material contained in the rotatable vessels. An exemplary aspect relates to the use of a gyroscope and periodicity sensor (e.g., accelerometer) to determine rotational speed of a concrete mixing drum, so that the slump or other property of the concrete can be monitored or adjusted such as by dosing with water, chemical admixtures, or mixture thereof.

Determination of gyroscopic based rotation

The present invention provides a fast response method and system wherein one or more comb-type polycarboxylate ether (PCE) polymers, having a cumulative absorptivity coefficient in the range of 40%-75%, are employed as fluidizing admixtures dosed into concrete by and in automated slump monitoring and control systems which iteratively monitors and adjusts the slump of the concrete mix.

Fast response time in slump monitoring systems

The invention relates to a method for adjusting concrete rheology requiring only that load size and target rheology value be selected initially rather than requiring inputs into and consultation of a lookup table of parameters such as water and hydration levels, mix components, temperature, humidity, aggregate components, and others. Dosage of particular rheology-modifying agent or combination of rheology-modifying agents is calculated based on a percentage of a nominal dose calculated with reference to a nominal dose response ('NDR') curve or profile. The NDR profile is based on a correlation between a rheology value (e.g., slump, slump flow, yield stress) and the rheology-modifying agent(s) dose required to change rheology value by one unit (e.g., slump change from 2 to 3 inches) such that exemplary methods can employ corrective dosing based on the NDR and the measured deviation by the system.

Method for adjusting concrete rheology based upon nominal dose-response profile

Treating and reporting volume of concrete in delivery vehicle mixing drum

The invention provides a method and system for detecting 'sneak' additions of water or other fluid into the mixing drum of a concrete delivery vehicle having an automated rheology (e.g., slump) monitoring system. Sneak fluid additions are detected based on continuous rheology monitoring, even where valves and flow meters on the delivery vehicle are not used for the fluid addition. The invention is effective for monitoring additions by truck drivers who might add water from an undocumented water source (e.g., hose) along the delivery route or at the site, to hasten pouring, placement, and finishing at the time of delivery. Once sneak fluid addition is detected, the methods and system provide for reporting in the form of alerts, alarms, or other indications that sneak fluid addition has occurred, including monitor graphs or printouts confirming existence and/or extent of sneak fluid added into the vehicle mixing drum.

Sneak water detection for concrete delivery vehicles

Method and system for motoring and obtaining information about quantity and characteristics of cementitious material In a rotating mixing drum. The present invention involves analysis of a sequence of values corresponding to a waveform reflecting the hydraulic pressure required to turn a concrete mixing drum at successive instances during rotation. Preferred embodiments involve the conversion of this time-domain data into the frequency-domain. Behavior of multiple harmonics can be examined in real time and further information obtained regarding physical properties of the concrete. Rheology or other properties can be adjusted by introducing a liquid into the concrete, based on a comparison between time-domain and/or frequency-domain values derived from a sample concrete in the drum and previously stored time-domain and/or frequency-domain values, which are preferably correlated with physical characteristics of concrete, such as slump, slump flow, load weight, and other factors.

Mixer waveform analysis for monitoring and controlling concrete

System and method for dispensing liquids into concrete mixer drums, particularly suitable for use on concrete mix trucks, involve use of liquid admixtures nozzle that is separate from water conduit and water nozzle, the admixtures nozzle being aimed and focused to spray through drum opening with dispersion pattern substantially within air/concrete interface defined by minimal volume concrete contained within the drum; and the water conduit or nozzle having a dispersion pattern preferably whereby wash water hits a portion of the inner drum wall and a portion of the air/concrete interface defined by a maximum amount of concrete contained within the drum. In preferred embodiments, a check valve assembly is used to connect separate admixture and water lines, so that both admixture and water nozzles can be used simultaneously during purging operation.

Fluid dispensing system and method for concrete mixer

The present invention provides a method for making sand compositions wherein manufactured sand particles are pretreated with a clay-mitigating polycation and blended with natural sand particles that have washed to remove fines such that at least 90% of the natural sand particles are retained on a 75 micron sieve. Methods of the invention also involve the use of the blended pretreated sand for making concrete wherein the sand is combined with cement, a polycarboxylate type dispersant, a further amount of clay-mitigating polycation compound, and at least one hydryoxyl or hydroxyl carboxylic acid or salt compound.

Clay-bearing manufactured sands for hydratable cementitious compositions

Method and system for monitoring slump flow of hydratable cementitious material such as wet concrete in a rotating mixing drum. Whereas prior art methods use a single value of the hydraulic pressure for turning the drum (such as the average value) and correlating with slump values using the vertical drop measurements of the standard slump test (e.g. ASTM C 143-05), the present invention involves analysis of values corresponding to slump flow of concrete samples, preferably having slump flow values of 16-36 inches when measured using standard slump flow tests (e.g., ASTM C1611-05).

Slump flow monitoring

The invention provides 'thixotropy' monitoring, by measuring the reversible, time-dependent reduction in viscosity occurring when concrete is subjected to mixing, and employs a mixing drum and conventional slump monitoring equipment as used on ready-mix trucks. In one embodiment, the drum is rotated until concrete is completely mixed; the speed is altered, such as by increasing it to a predetermined level; and the energy required to rotate the drum (ER) is monitored; the maximum (ER-MAX) and minimum (ER-MIN) values are recorded in computer memory; and these values are compared to pre-determined (target) values. Rheology factors (including viscosity, yield stress, and/or thixotropy) can be adjusted accordingly by adding liquid component(s) into the mix. This method, suitable for delivery of highly fluid concrete speed such as SCC, can involve transit and placement rheology targets during monitoring.

Method for monitoring thixotropy in concrete mixing drum

The invention relates to a method and system for monitoring and adjusting both air content and rheology (e.g., slump, slump flow) properties of a hydratable concrete mix contained within a concrete mixer. The system simultaneously tracks dosage of both rheology-modifying admixture (e.g., polycarboxylate polymer cement dispersant) and air control agent or 'ACA' (e.g., air entraining agent) by reference to at least four nominal dose response ('NDR') curves or profiles, which at least four NDR profiles are based on the respective behaviors of each of the ACA and rheology-modifying agent on air content and rheology.

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Boston, MA, United States of America

Eric P Koehler